When Jessica was fifteen, she shared the perfect kiss with a mystery boy at a Christmas party. It might have only lasted a moment, and the boy might have disappeared shortly afterwards but, to Jessica, it was just a little bit magic.

Fourteen years later, and Jessica is faced with a less than magical Christmas after uncovering her husband’s secret affair. And, whilst she wouldn’t admit it, she sometimes finds herself thinking about that perfect Christmas kiss, back when her life still seemed full of hope and possibility.

But she never would have guessed that the boy she kissed in the kitchen all those years ago might still think about her too …

Book Review ~ ‘Jessica’s Christmas Kiss’ by Alison May ~ 5 Stars!

What a lovely, heart-warming festive read! Alison May knows how to pack in the feel-good feels and the heart-string tugs all in one beautiful package.

The third in the ‘Christmas Kisses’ series (akthough can be read as a standalone) we are invited into Jessica’s world of pain, insecurity and rejection as she strives to make Christmas special with her husband after discovering earlier in the year that he’d been having an affair. We see Jessica as a fifteen year old romantic, who shares her first kiss with an enigmatic stranger at a Christmas party, become a worn-down wife to a different man. Alison May brilliantly highlighted the changes that life had made of Jessica, and from the get-go, I really wanted her to get her happy ending.

Lucas was the perfect hero. With a secret past, and many painful memories and regret which hold him back from living his life to the full, he is a true gentleman who made me smile. His relationship with his housemates was so great to read, and I laughed at their scenes together. And when Jessica is going through the worst time in her life, Lucas is there for her, and together they begin to live their life the way they feel they deserve.

I adored this little story that takes place over three different time-zones. The character development was brilliant and there was some heart-melting moments, as well as some tearful ones.

The Last of the Firedrakes by Farah Oomerbhoy.
(The Avalonia Chronicles #1)
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy
Release Date: August 15th 2015.

SYNOPSIS

16-year-old Aurora Darlington is an orphan. Mistreated by her adopted family and bullied at school, she dreams of running away and being free. But when she is kidnapped and dragged through a portal into a magical world, suddenly her old life doesn’t seem so bad.

Avalonia is a dangerous land ruled by powerful mages and a cruel, selfish queen who will do anything to control all seven kingdoms—including killing anyone who stands in her way. Thrust headlong into this new, magical world, Aurora’s arrival sets plans in motion that threaten to destroy all she holds dear.

With the help of a young fae, a magical pegasus, and a handsome mage, Aurora journeys across Avalonia to learn the truth about her past and unleash the power within herself. Kingdoms collide as a complicated web of political intrigue and ancient magic lead Aurora to unravel a shocking secret that will change her life forever.

Book Review ~ ‘The Last of the Firedrakes’ by Farah Oomerbhoy ~ 3.5 Stars!

I’m going to start off this review by saying to the author; Well done. Fantasy is a tough genre to write, there are so many rules and, particularly as a debut author, Farah Oomerbhoy has done a pretty good job. I enjoyed ‘The Last of the Firedrakes’ and I look forward to seeing where Aurora’s journey takes her in the next book.

This review will look mostly at some of the issues that I feel Oomerbhoy may have come up against when writing this novel, and how some of these may have slipped through into the final novel. But this is all constructive and I really do want other readers to have a look for themselves and enjoy the book for what it is; a very solid, exciting Young Adult Fantasy novel.

World building is hard in fantasy. It’s not so easy as making a land and moving from one place to another within it. There are so many things involved such as the kingdoms, the politics, the different creatures in each land and particularly the culture. Oomerbhoy brilliantly crafts a land where politics is key, and I really had a feel for the different agendas of the people we met.

There were a few parts that felt a little too out-of-reality for me. I love my fantasy for what it is; make-believe, but I always feel there needs to be an element of it that is believable, especially within the context of this world. For example, on many occassions our characters appear so quickly from one kingdom to another, almost outbeating a magical pegasus, and the explanation given is the old fae secret passages. I felt this was almost too easy, and felt let down that they didn’t have to struggle to get to each place. Imagine if Middle Earth had elven passages beneath Mordor. Frodo’s journey would have been a lot easier, and very much less enjoyable to read.

The magical Pegasus ‘Snow’ as mentioned above, also seemed to appear at the most timely of occassions, particularly when our young heroine was in danger. It seemed to give her an out from some of the battles she no doubt would have faced without her there.

The reason for Aurora being brought into the land of Avalonia also seemed too unlikely for me. Her evil aunt Morgana feared that her neice, who knew nothing of Avalonia, magic, fae or even that she had an aunt, so had her brought through the veil to Avalonia in order to kill her and keep the throne her own? Wouldnt’ it be easier to just leave Aurora unaware in the other land where she can do no harm to Morgana anyway?

Character development, however, was what drove the story on. Rafe is a top book-boyfriend and I loved the array of characters that Aurora meets and befriends throughout the book. The author’s writing style was also so crisp and beautiful!

Overall this book was a enjoyable escape into the magical land of Avalonia. I’m looking forward to seeing where Rafe, Aurora and Kalen go next.

3.5 Stars!

*Review copy provided through Xpresso Book Tours Review Opportunities, in exchange for an honest review*

It’s always the same question every single time. He looks at me with his eyes full of sadness, his expression full of embarrassment, and I hate it! That question always makes me feel terrible, as if we just did something wrong… which we have, but I hate that he’s conscious of it, that he reminds me of it. As if I said ‘no this is wrong, terribly wrong, I’m in love with you, and I want to be with you,’ it’s something he wants to hear.

“Yeah,” I say, my throat burning. He looks at me, and I turn my face away, feeling a tear escape.

“Lisa.” His voice is full of sorrow, fear, and every other depressing feeling that makes me want to vomit.

Anger starts to consume me, and it replaces the hesitancy I usually have to say the words I’ve wanted to say for so long. “I love you, Will.”

There’s silence, and each second cuts through me. When my eyes meet his, I see a storm in them, and I don’t care. I want him to say something. Anything.

“You know I…” His voice is weak, his expression full of confusion as if to say Why on earth? How dare you?

“I love you, Will!” I say louder.

He doesn’t say anything but sits on the edge of the bed, as if my words have knocked him out. I cry, and I know it’s making things worse, but I can’t help it now. My resolve is in tatters.

I get off the bed and stand in front of him, naked and vulnerable. “I know it’s wrong. I know you said that this would happen. I know all of this, but can you at least say something? Can you at least try to make me feel just a little bit better about it?”

I only see deadness behind his eyes, as if he’s left himself and only his body is here with me.

“I want to be loved how you love her! Is that too much to ask? Does just wanting to be loved make me terrible person?” I ask desperately, and his eyes water.

“No, it doesn’t,” he says softly. “But it makes me a terrible person.” He stands up from my bed, grabs the sheet, and wraps it around me. He kisses my forehead and looks into my eyes. “I can’t love you how you want me to, Lisa, how you should be loved.”

I feel my heart race. Why did I say that? I feel anxious and angry with myself. “I’m sorry.”

I hug him, but he doesn’t hug me back. Anxiety courses through me. It was too much, I knew it was, but I couldn’t keep the words from leaving.

“I won’t ever bring this up again. Just please don’t be mad. Just forget I said it.”

“I think we… this is destroying you. I can’t do this to you anymore,” he says, going to the door.

I jump in front of it. He looks at me sympathetically but gently moves me out of the way. I follow him through my quiet, dark house to the back door. When he opens it, the cold air hits me. The sky’s still dark aside from the tiny light on my back porch. He goes down the porch and looks back at me.

“Good night, Lisa,” he says quietly before disappearing down the street into the darkness. His truck is parked almost four blocks up in its usual spot.

I’m obsessed with blowing kisses. I guess that makes me a romantic. I love books and cute boys and reading about cute boys in books.I’m infatuated with the glamour girls of the past: Audrey,Dorothy,Marilyn,Elizabeth.

I’m a self confessed girly girl,book nerd,food enthusiast, and comic book fan. Odd combination huh, you have no idea…